New Retro-Funk Done Properly
317 East 32nd | Toledo, OH USA | 08/25/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I don't have QSO's previous releases, but I understand there was some sampling involved. Not here. Nothing tricky, just real-time guitar, bass, organ, saxophones, a few strings, and drums, drums everywhere...
Let me tell you about those drums. The kick has a huge, sucking thump to it, the snare pops more than it cracks, and the hi-hat work is mind-blowing. Then a crash will gradually appear way off in the distance on the soundstage... and it's all recorded as if Shel Talmy were in charge, 1964. In the red, big-time.
Each track is worthwhile, with the highlights being the near-perfect "Pushin' On" with great vocals by Alice Russell, and an organ and horn laden, smile-producing version of "Get A Move On." "Paintings and Journeys" seems slightly out of place here, being the only latin-flavored track and the only one to prominently feature acoustic rhythm guitar, but coming as it does near the very end of the disc, it's easily assimilated.
Granted, I don't collect Soul, Funk, or R&B (hence, I don't even know the proper terminology -- "New Retro-Funk?"); the last "new" pure funk disc I bought was Maceo's Grammy-winning Life On Planet Groove some dozen years ago, but this disc may actually have that one beat, in part because the cuts appeal to my short attention span (only two tracks are over four minutes long).
It'd be almost impossible to not have fun with this disc. The music is all about good times, even when the lyrical content isn't (which is seldom). The production is retro-authentic, but still very, very "hi-fi," and virtually all of the performances by multi-instrumentalist William Holland, vocalist Russell and especially drummer Russell Knight are right in the groove.
4.5 stars out of 5 (meaning, better than 90% of the music I've heard, and it's the drums that pushes it beyond that fourth star). Recommended."
Roy Walker says "Its good but its not right"
The Essex Beast | Essex, UK | 11/08/2005
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Its not a bad album at all but i think its missing something, the songs are too repetative and aren't diverse enough to make you want to keep listening to it. Not bad as background music but could do a lot better."
Funky soul groovin rock n roll
Leah Lemon | the milky way | 05/11/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"this album is awesome, some songs are all instrumental and some songs include a wonderful soulful sister singing. the quantic soul orchestra is unique and very awesome."
Track Listings (11) - Disc #1